The Newt and Demon

4.46 - Throwing Stuff

It was easier to imagine the defenses of Broken Tusk in the Dreamwalk. Theo stood near the coast, imagining the walls that Ziz was working on. He imagined them further, sending them out into the bay, then constructing imaginary towers. He topped it off with the gate he wantedanother portcullis-style gate that would drop into the ocean on command. The walls would serve as causeways whereby folks could come out to check on the [Ocean Dungeon]. If Sledge could incorporate the entire thing into the town, that would be even better.

Alex spent her time in the Dreamwalk with Tresk, leaving Theo alone to think about the problems they faced. The town had taken care of the most common problems and were only left with future problems. That was an excellent position to be in, but it was a luxury provided by the wall of undead to the north. He went over his class cores as he thought about it, feeling no nagging sense from his intuition. The Wisdom of the Soul screen seemed to refuse to pop up in the Dreamwalk.

Theos [Governance Core] would hit level 30 tomorrow. But the [Tarahek Core] had ardently refused to rise above that level. While all members of the bond noticed it, they paid it little mind. That core had a mind of its own. As he messed around with various tasks, all taking place on the new defensive seawalls, the alchemist felt his [Drogramath Herbalist Core] roll over to 24, which caused his personal level to hit the same level. But it was getting hard to know which attribute to place a point into. At least he could inspect his personal screen within the Dreamwalk.

Theo Spencer

Drogramath Dronon

Level 24

Alchemist

Core Slots: 6

Stats:

Health: 115

Mana: 190

Stamina: 125

Strength: 20 (+11)

Dexterity: 16 (+8)

Vigor: 22 (+8)

Intelligence: 26 (+9)

Wisdom: 30 (+7)

Points: 1

Ah. I should have expected that, Theo said, studying the screen. It no longer claimed his name was Belgar. A curious turn of events.

It was as though the system was correcting itself, which seemed like a frightening prospect. Khahar had mentioned a system on top of the systemcould that have been a system designed to manage the other one? Something that corrected the way things worked when they went wrong. The Harbingers Gift that he received seemed more like a coiled spring by the moment. Something bound to explode at any moment, releasing hidden intentions.

Theo shook himself, looking at his attributes once more. He didnt want to go deeper into Wisdom anymore. With his modifiers, he was sitting at 30, which was good enough. Vigor had been a great option. The effects of that attribute were measurable. Intelligence was one attribute that was hard to define, but directly influenced his spellcasting. The world swirled around him as he moved himself, finding Tresk and Alex fighting a small horde of goblins outside the gates of the town.

Oh, fancy alchemist! Tresk grunted, driving her rapier into the heart of a goblin. Come to grace us with your thoughtful presence?

Theo side-stepped an approaching goblin, kicking it in the side. It crumpled. Tresk had summoned low-level goblins to help Alex train, which was a sweet things to do. He smiled at her. I came to ask about attributes, actually.

Well, grab a sword. Or a rock. Were bonding!

The instinct that came first was to summon a bomb and kill all the goblins at once. But that wasnt the spirit of Tresks game. She was training Alex, so it only made sense to act like a normal person would. This brought back one of Theos old problemssomething he still hadnt solved for himself. If he were to find himself in combat, what weapon would he use?

He saw almost no merit in using swords and daggers to fight. Without the correct skills, he would be open to attacks. Spears and those weird pole-axes Sarisa and Rowan used made more sense. He could get a lot of distance, keeping himself safe while he hacked away. Bows, crossbows, guns, and so on didnt appeal to him. He had no moral objection to the things, they simply didnt fit with his strengths. Throwing things, like bombs, fit in with his abilities.

Theo held his hand out, imagining one of his scrimshaw creations. Starting with his [Cloth Bracers of Tossing], and ending with his ability to enchant items twice. Once with his warding abilities, and the other with poisons. As for poisons, he had war crime levels of poisons at his disposal. He had created them for Tresks hit-and-run style of combat, but this would do. A bone knife appeared in his hand, weighted the way he thought a good knife should be. It wasnt part of his training on Earth, but the system would take care of the dexterous part of the act.

The bone knife glowed under his words, taking on the ward of [Lesser Force]. He repeated the process for several knives as Alex and Tresk fought on. Flames soared into the air, and he even saw pitiful vines reaching from the ground. Once his stock of throwing knives was complete, the alchemist dipped them all in a potent second tier [Poison] modified with [Accelerated Decay]. It was one of his most vile poisons.

Im ready.

Youd have been dead five times by now.

Im all about preparation, Tresk. Give me enough time and I could kill the gods.

I wish I doubted that. I really do. Alright! Playtime is OVER!

The goblins vanished in puffs of smoke. When the haze cleared, four boss Trolls stood in the looming fog. Each was level 30, and none waited around for the Marshlings command. Theo froze for a moment. Not out of fear, but in awe of how far Tresk had come. She wove a dance of death around one Troll, striking at it before vanishing just as quickly. Like a flash of lightning, she brought her monster to its knees with little effort. Veins of black tracked deadly paths along the creatures skin, leaving behind rotting flesh.

Theos mind honed to a razors edge. Time seemed to slow for a moment as he practiced the motion mentally. Five bone knives soared through the air, slamming into one Troll at nearly the same time. It was lifted off its feet, then sent flying back like a thousand-pound baseball. The creature slid across the ground, a web of deadly poison spreading across its body before it even hit the ground. The alchemist repeated the process, sending five deadly projectiles for the remaining two Trolls. He let out a steady breath when he was finished, straightening his robe and nodding.

That should do it.

The Trolls writhed on the ground, screaming in agony as their flesh sloughed off in sheets. It wasnt one thing that made the dagger effective. The confluence of events required all his throwing gear, his affinity for the bone weapons, the poison, and the wards.

Damn, alright! Tresk shouted, cracking her knuckles. Alex honked awkwardly. We gotta get you some different gear, buddy. Do you think theres a class that just throws stuff?

There might be, Theo said. Im pretty good at throwing stuff.

Youre great at throwing stuff. If there was a Throwing Stuff Olympics, youd get the gold, buddy.

Tresk was sparse with her compliments. She had dug into his mind to make the olympics reference, but he appreciated it all the same. The Marshling went over his gear with him, selecting pieces that werent as effective for this style of combat. His [Robe of the Defender], which reduced stamina usage for people around him, had overstayed its welcome. It had repaired itself, but was now less useful than his other gear.

Azrug will have stuff for you.

Isnt he on vacation?

Tresk only shrugged. She had an interest in making sure the three of them were a fighting force. After the ambush with the Zagmon Dronon, she had been strangely distant about training. Theo felt her apathy toward the idea, seeing him as a lost cause for combat. His display in the Dreamwalk had awoken something frightening in her. A plan unfurled in her mind to train him into the ground, making him a dagger-tossing machine. A quirk of the Tarahek was that she could feel his old habits dying off. His aversion to combat was fading. It was hard to tell if that was a good thing.

For the rest of the Dreamwalk, Tresk ran combat drills. She emulated the situation that almost got Theo killed before, and other variations of that. His throwing weapon technique was effective, but that marked him as a back-liner. Those who rested on the edges of a fight were often targets, according to her.

But thats why I have Sarisa and Rowan. Right?

Yeah, but that means I have to train them. Tresk grumbled, pulling her rapier free from another Trolls skull. This is a step in the right direction, though.

That was a more positive statement than she normally made. Theo saw that as a good thing. Their training went on for the rest of the Dreamwalk, ending only when the dawn drew near in the real world. Tresk ended their training session by dragging them all out of the dream realm, sending them into their comfortable beds.

The scent of freshly brewed tea was the first thing Theo could sense in the real world. Then the smell of something freshly cooked, and a chattering conversation from downstairs. He rubbed his eyes, then swung his feet out of bed. Tail swishing and toes wiggling, he lingered there for some time. If he was truthful with himself, he would admit that he was excited about the systems new designation for him. Belgar was close at hand in Terogal, but he felt more distant than ever. For the first time since he got here, the alchemist felt as though he were in his own body.

Downstairs, the scene was lively. Fenian was testing his new leg, falling over more times than he stayed upright. Everyone crowded around the massive dining room table. Sarisa and Rowan flew around, serving those that wanted food and topping off cups of tea. Theo followed Sarisa as she went to the kitchen, cornering her there for a quick chat.

Tresk is concerned, Theo said, watching the unsurprised look on the Half-Ogres face.

When isnt she?

Well, were working on me. My ability to fight.

Sarisa looked him up and down, then chuckled. Youre about as useful as a feral Ogre Snapper in a fight. No combat cores, right? Unless you count that mage core.

Theo cleared his throat. Right. Were going to do some training sessions in the real world. I just wanted to warn you.

She cleared sweat from her brow with a small length of cloth, then nodded. I appreciate it. Actually, Im interested to see what you can do.

Theo helped her serve everyone at the table before they both took a seat. Instead of ordering breakfast from Xams, Sarisa and Rowan had cooked the meal themselves. They were smart about it. Instead of trying something fancy, they went for something simple. Fried Pozwa eggs with Karatan steaks. The only meal that would have represented the Half-Ogre appetite more was a slab of fire-cooked wolf meat.

While breakfast was good, Theo was excited to see Azrug for the first time in a while. The young Half-Ogre had occupied his time with the dealings of a Lord Merchant. Tresk, Alex, Sarisa, and Rowan joined with the alchemist after breakfast was done. Only the Marshling knew where Azrug had set up shop, and when they got there it was disappointing.

Hes running his shop out of a house? Theo asked, making a face as though he had just smelled something foul. How unlike him.

Nice to see you, too, Azrug said, poking his head out of the front door. Supply lines are screwed. I cant get a [Shop Seed Core].

We need to look at your gear, Loremaster, Tresk said, striking a pose.

Oh, youre paying for something today? Well, come on in!

Azrugs shop was just the first floor of the house crowded with shelves. It was located in the planned neighborhood area, nestled among the tightly packed homes. Theo had missed it, because he never went to the neighborhood. The shopkeepers other venture was the stables near Mianas ranch. Something that the alchemist was planning on replacing with his monorail.

Tresk browsed the shelves, but defaulted to asking Azrug what stock he had for throwing things. The thing about the items he stocked was that they were different. Loot dropped by monsters often had properties locked away, but he had a [Loremasters Core]. High enough to unlock the second property on most low-level gear. His shelves were piled with gear that had at least two effects, sometimes three.

The amount of useful crap Tresk intended to buy from Azrug was staggering. She was prepared to spend a small fortune to gear Theo out, and he wouldnt object. While the pair went over the synergy of the items, Theo looked over the things the young shopkeeper had collected. There were likely several spiritstone coins' worth of stuff in there. Once they were done selecting items to buy, they went over the gear.

First, were getting rid of that stupid [Plume of Defiance], Tresk said, holding out a leather hat. It had a wide brim and a pointed top that had flopped over to the side. The color seemed to shift from green to dark brown. The alchemist inspected the item.

[Wizards Hat of the Poisoner]

[Hat]

Rare

A Karatan leather hat once said to be in the possession of a foul Poison Mage. It seethes with malicious intent.

Effect:

Increase the effects of poison.

Increase the duration of poison.

[Effect Locked]

Theo placed his old hat into his inventory, then put the new one on his head. Despite logic, it fit perfectly over his horns. Do I look like a wizard, yet?

Youll look less like a wizard by the time were done, Azrug said, producing the next item.

This one is dedicated to your throwing ability, meant to replace your [Robe of the Defender]. It synergizes with your scaling [Shirt of the Dexterous]. Tresk ran her fingers over the item. It was a padded shirt with tails that would go over his thighs. As the alchemist removed his robe, he inspected the item.

[Gambeson of the Claw]

[Cloth Gambeson]

Epic

A gambeson belonging to a member of a secret order of assassins.

Effect:

Throwing weapons will travel 1.25 faster than normal.

Dexterity granted by items increases the speed at which throwing weapons move by 0.1 times per point.

[Effect Locked]

Theo pulled the black-dyed gambeson over his head. Tresk helped him secure the black iron clasps around himself. While it was a more form-fitted piece, it was just as comfortable as his robe. But the new outfit exposed his pants and boots, making the ensemble look silly. It didnt help that he had a wizards hat on.

Dont you have a robe that does the same thing? Theo asked.

Robes are out of fashion. Its all about the gambesons now. Tresks words had confidence, but the sense he got from her was one of lies.

Its too good not to wear, Theo said with a huff. Alright, whats next?

Both pieces of gear fed into his new strategy of throwing stuff. Even without his idea of using knives, this made him better at throwing potions. So long as they applied a poison effect. While Azrug didnt have any gloves for him, he offered to use his Loremaster abilities to unlock another property on his [Cloth Bracers of Tossing]. That proved to be a great thing. The alchemist inspected the result.

[Cloth Bracers of Tossing]

[Bracers]

Rare

Enchanted Karatan wool cloth bracers.

Effect:

Increase the accuracy of any thrown item.

Missing the intended target with a thrown item increases the accuracy of your next attempt. Stacks 10 times. Stacks expire after 1 hour.

[Effect Locked]

Combined with the first effect, the bracers were now awesome. Theo liked the idea that hed get more accurate as he missed targets.

Just a few more things, Tresk said, tapping a pair of pitch black leather boots with her finger. This one is my favorite.

Theo slipped the boots on. They had deep treads and came up to his knee. That would be perfect for stomping around the marsh. As always, they were absurdly comfortable for boots. He inspected them.

[Leather Boots of the Defiler]

[Leather Boots]

Epic

Boots belonging to a long-dead necromancer. These boots root the user to the ground, enhancing all necrotic effects.

If both of your feet are planted on the ground when you apply necrotic damage, the effect is doubled. This effect is removed if either foot leaves the ground while the necrotic damage is taking place.

[Effect Locked]

[Effect Locked]

Go look at yourself in the mirror, Tresk said, gesturing to the far end of the store.

To Theos surprise, there was a full-sized mirror in the corner. He went over, checking himself out in the mirror. He looked more like a discount villain than anything else. What he didnt notice was the soft clink of coins behind him. The exchanging of a fortune behind his back. When he caught onto it, spinning around, there was no evidence of the coins.

How much was it? Theo asked.

Ill never tell, Tresk said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Theo forced his will into her mind, but it was like running up against a brick wall. She noted the intrusion and smiled, sauntering over to pull him into a hug. No price is too much to keep my Theo safe.

The alchemist patted Tresk on the head, unable to keep the smile from his face.

Alright. Lets go mess around. Throw some daggers.

Hell yeah!